


Fish died on me

by Mareridt



Series: 31 Sterek Fics - August edition [7]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Awesome Derek Hale, Funny Stiles Stilinski, M/M, Scott McCall is not dumb, Stiles gets a kitten, Stiles is a cat person, pet shop owner Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 08:39:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7708360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mareridt/pseuds/Mareridt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek stayed silent for a long minute. “Your best friend named his fish... Fish?” Stiles nearly brained himself on the counter. “This is really all you got from my speech?” he asked, not believing his luck. Derek leaned toward him, resting with his arms folded under him. “Well, it's not like the part where you asked me to save your life was that interesting” he deadpanned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fish died on me

**Author's Note:**

> Seventh story for the 31 Sterek fiiiics, yay! Unbetad!  
> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated! Nice critics too!
> 
> [Yeah, I know it’s 3 a.m. in the morning of 8th August, but I don’t care okay, I’ll be on time some day, but today’s not the day]
> 
> Prompt: “My friend is out of town and I’m supposed to be taking care of his pet fish but it died and you work at the pet store help me find one that looks the same so he won’t notice"

 

Stiles stumbled inside the shop tripping on his own feet, plastic bag kept tight in his fist with a gold fish inside it. He would probably be afraid to kill it, or drop the water, but... well, not _because of him_ , but the fish was already in another, better world.

Fuck.

He'd promised Scott he would have taken care of Fish – which, by the way, naming a gold fish Fish? Fine, maybe he could have gotten away with his first, but naming all the same every fucking fish he bought? Stiles wondered sometimes how they were best friends – but somehow the fish died anyway, and Scott would be back in a few hours, and he was about to get fucking murdered over a freaking gold fish and-

He stopped dead in his track, having reached the counter. He was searching for the owner of the pet shop, a certain Hale, but being in a pet shop Stiles expected a guy with a sweet smile, maybe short and a bit chubby, all kindness and soft edges, not... not _him_.

Him being a solid 200 pounds of sharp jaw and muscles, angry glaring eyebrow, perfect stubble and sinful mouth with the corners tugged down in a frown. His eyes were green, but also grey, with a part of brown and blue in them, a kaleidoscope of shades he was ready to stare at for a lifetime.

Stiles swallowed hard noticing the guy didn't have exactly a “uniform”, but was wearing a soft maroon sweater – it was almost winter – with thumbholes. Shit, he loved shirts with thumbholes. It underlined his shape, though, and wasn't it Stiles' throat drying painfully.

Shit. Shit, shit, _shit_ , he needed to get laid.

Anyway, reading briefly the name on the tag – Derek H. - he cleared his throat to claime his attention and layed the plastic bag with the dead fish on the counter. “Hi!” he said, exagerating with the excitement. “I'm Stiles, and I was wondering if you could help me?”

Derek raised his eyes from the book he was reading, stopping playing with his sleeves and racking his eyes up and down Stiles, making him flush. He just raised his eyebrow, as if asking 'yes?'.

“Riight...” Stiles pointed at the fish. “I know it's 3 am in the morning, but I really need help. I would really go somewhere else and get out of your hair, but your pet shop is the only one still open in the whole Beacon Hills. My best friend gave me Fish to take care of him while he was on vacation, but I think it committed suicide while I wasn't looking, I mean it literally died on me the asshole, and since I should have supposedly stopped him or not make it happen in first place, Scott is gonna kill me, and I really want to live, so please, can you help me find a fish _identical_ to this one so I will have some more years in front of me?” he spoke without even pausing to breathe, too much in a rush to even care about that.

Derek stayed silent for a long minute. “Your best friend named his fish... Fish?”

Stiles nearly brained himself on the counter. “This is really all you got from my speech?” he asked, not believing his luck. Derek leaned toward him, resting with his arms folded under him.

“Well, it's not like the part where you asked me to save your life was that interesting” he deadpanned, eyes pointed on his with that unimpressed expression of his. Stiles gaped, offense running in his veins along with blood.

“Well, it's not like I was trying to keep you entertained, you awful piece of-” when Derek started laughing, Stiles understood he just got played. “Oh, my god!” he groaned, smirking with shame. “Okay, fine, you played me.”

Derek broke into a wonderful – well, since Stiles got literally _blinded_ by it – smile. “Yeah, I did.” he smugly remarked.

“You're an asshole, you know that?”

Derek didn't lose his cool. “You seem to like it anyway” and Stiles' guilt and confusion had probably showed on his face, since he added: “You can't stop smiling.”

The boy choked on his spit, blushing furiously. He tried to kill his smile with all he had, but after the last knowing smirk Derek sent him he gave up and reached over to shove him away. “So you're gonna help me or not? Scott's coming in four hours.”

That seemed to bring Derek back into his work. “Give me the fish, I'll see what I can do.”

Four hours later, Stiles regretted not kissing Derek there and then after buying the fish, because it worked, he was safe and alive.

Scott didn't suspect a thing.

 

 

Stiles was sure apocalipse was coming.

Well, no, not really, because otherwise he'd be already dead. He was firmly convinced he'd be the first one to die, the sidekick with not enough muscles and too much intelligence that always died with a dumb death. Scott tried to tell him he was that one guy with no real weapon but a bat and sarcasm as his only defenses, which was bound to die at the first occasion being useless but always made it until the end.

Completely unrealistic, right? Not that he didn't have a bat or sarcasm, but it was too fantasy-like to be real, especially since a skinny human like him would die just tripping over his own feet.

Anyway, he was sure apocalipse was approaching because of the amount of rain falling from the sky in the last days. It couldn't be normal, okay, last time he went out without an umbrella it started raining and after not even five minutes he had been soaked to the bones.

Now, after a week of strong storms, he was a bit done. He was getting out of the police station after bringing his father lunch, ready to run for his life to his jeep, when he noticed a wet, ruined box in the corner, water threatening to break it completely. Stiles frowned and made a step to glance inside it, and _holy_ – weren't those _kittens_?!

 

He was once again soaked to the bone when he entered the pet shop, the bell ringing his warning.

He was keeping the five kittens he found in that box, almost drowning to death, against his chest in a robe, the one Stiles was supposed to use during Lacrosse pratice. “Hey-o, Derek!” he called, eyeing the man behind the counter.

He was still reading. “I brought you a present for the last time, since I'm still here alive” Derek looked up from the pages, raising a perfect eyebrow.

“A gift?” he repeated. “Why did you bother? Are you- Are you soaked? God, Stiles, you could catch pneumonia!” Derek got up from the counter and reached him, but Stiles used it at his advantage, showing him the little kittens.

“I found these little guys around the corner at the police station” he explained. “Thought you could keep them here?” they were meowling and shivering, probably sad and hungry. “They almost drowned in the box I found them.”

Derek looked from the kittens to him and then back, three times in a row. “Come with me, I've got what we need in the back.” Stiles followed him like a lost puppy, feeling incredibly guilty every time one of the kittens meowled in his arms. He lead them on a small table Derek showed him, and when the man returned with three fluffy robes and a weird maroon thing, Stiles frowned at him.

He gave him the first robe. “This you can use it to dry yourself” he commanded, handing next the maroon thing. “This is my sweater, it'll keep you warm right after. Unfortunately I've got no pants, so that will do.”

“Oh, this is the sweater with the thumbholes you were wearing last time?” Stiles' eyes widened; it could casually happen that Derek would never get it back if he gave it to him now. “Sure I can wear it?”

“Stiles, you're basically convulsing such you're freezing” Derek shoved the sweater against his chest. “Wear it, I'll take care of the kittens for now. When you're done, you can help me with the other robe.”

Stiles nodded and left, drying himself and changing shirt in record time. He waited before going back, bringing the soft cotton to his nose and inhaling deeply the amazing scent that had to be Derek's. Back to him, though, he was the firstly grumpy owner of the shop sweetly drying the kittens one after another, treating them with love and care evident.

“Uhm...” Stiles cleared his throat, his chest warming further in front of that heart swelling scene. “The sweater might be a little bit lose on me, but you were right, it's warm. You done here with the robes?”

Derek looked up, smiling softly, his eyes crinkling at the edge. “Not yet. There's that little girl there who still shivers. You want to go on?”

Stiles took the robe and layed the still wet kitten on it, wanting nothing more than to make her – it was a girl, apparently – feel better. He dried her carefully, caressing her fluffy head with his fingers, paying more attention to her paws and ears, and in the end, she almost stopped shivering completely, though still meowling. “You did good, Stiles” Derek praised, grinning at him, and weren't those the cutest bunny teeth he ever saw?!

Stiles shrugged as if it was no big deal. “What's next now, big guy?”

Derek petted one of the kittens. “We'll give them milk, they're probably starving” he explained. “Poor babies... I wonder who could have been so heartless to leave them under the rain like this.”

“Well, good thing I was there, then, right?” Stiles preened when Derek nodded, eyes locked together. They feeded the kittens, Stiles growning inexpicably fond of that little girl he dried of earlier, and then they put them to sleep, finally warm and sated.

“Thanks for bringing them here” Derek murmured in the end, smiling at him. Stiles found himself shrugging once again. “You can come to check on them whenever you want.”

“You're saying this because I deserved it or because you want to see me again?” Stiles joked, fighting down a blush when Derek scorted him at the door with a hand pressed against the small of his back.

Derek didn't answer right back. “Both?” he settled for. The blush won his fight over Stiles and the boy's neck and face grew hot all together.

He suddenly didn't have enough voice to speak properly. “Yeah, I'd like that” he creaked out, smiling at the floor. He was about to go out, when a gentle hand gripped his wrist.

“Wait, have this” Derek handed him an umbrella, since it was still raining outside. “You need it.”

“But I have an umbrella” Stiles protested. “It's in my... oh.” it all clicked together. Of course he needed another umbrella, he couldn't use the one he had in the car to get in there, because it was _in the car_. He smiled shyly. “Well, then... thanks.”

Derek smiled. “Goodbye, Stiles.”

“'Bye, Derek.”

 

 

 

The third time Stiles walked into the shop, exactly ten days later, he wasn't alone.

Kira and Malia had come with him, since it was because of them he went there in first place: they wanted to get a dog, but didn't know anything about how to keep it or which breed was better for their flat.

He walked straight to the counter, but Derek was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a beautiful woman with dark hair like his and emerald eyes looked up at them, smirking. For some reason, Stiles thought the smirk was sending serial killer's vibe, just like Derek's bitch face the first time he saw him.

“Hi!” the woman spoke, surprisingly kind. “How can I help you?”

“Uhm, I'm Stiles” Stiles introduced himself. “And these are Kira and Malia. I was looking for Derek, since my friends here want to adopt a dog and asked for a consoulence.” The woman's face lit up.

“Oh, you're _that_ Stiles! Now I get it!” she held out her hand. “I'm Laura, Derek's sister. Derek's on the back now, maybe you can go greet him while I show your friends here what we have?”

Stiles looked back at Malia and Kira, who respectively shrugged unimpressed and nodded excitingly. “Uh, okay?”

Laura winked at him. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

The more he knew her, the more he found it all weird. “Thanks, it was nice for me too... I think” ignoring Laura's laugh, Stiles headed for the back of the shop, pocking his head around the corner to find Derek in a white tank top currently bathing a little puppy. “I thought you worked alone, here.”

Derek immediately looked up from the bath, eyes widening slighty. “You met Laura, didn't you?”

Stiles nodded, chuckling at the evident alarm in Derek's eyes. “Calm down, I left immediately to let her show my friends what kind of dogs you have here, they want to take one.”

Derek didn't look so sure, but relaxed and turned to bathing the puppy. “Yeah, well, I usually work alone, but sometimes when my sisters are in town they come to help for a while.”

“How many siblings do you have?” Stiles wondered, coming closer and helping Derek with what he could, handing him shampoo and robes.

“Laura is the biggest of the family, but after me there are two brothers, Will and Jack, and another sister, Cora. My mom wasn't satisfied with just three of us, she needed two more” he laughed, taking the puppy out of the water to envelope it in the robe, drying it quickly and efficently.

He didn't bring up his sweater being still in Stiles' closet, and Stiles didn't think of doing it for him at all. He liked the sweater, playing with the thumbholes, inhaling Derek's musky scent... “So, how are you doing?”

“Oh, I'm fine” Stiles shrugged, brought back to reality by his voice. “I didn't get pneumonia, and this reminds me that I still have to check on the little kittens.”

“They're fine too” Derek answered. “Two of them were already taken by some good people I know will take care of them.”

“Awesome!” the boy fist-bumped the air. “Is the little girl still here? I grew too fond of her, I need to see her at least once again.” Derek looked at him sideways, a small private smile tagging at the corner of his lips. He didn't speak, but after a few seconds Stiles pressed him on.

“You can always take her home, you know” Derek suggested, bringing the puppy back with the others and taking a black one, a chihuahua. “She looked like she was fond of you the same way.”

“What? No, I couldn't do that” Stiles shook his head. “My dad's the Sheriff, and even if he accepted, thing that I doubt, neither of us would be at home enough to take care of her like she deserves.”

Derek raised an eyebrow, but didn't push the subject. “Did Scott notice anything in the end?”

“Nah, he doesn't suspect a thing” Stiles grinned smugly. “Thank you again, you've been expectionaly faster. You basically saved me. And Fish.”

“Ugh, don't remember me its name.” Derek groaned, starting to bath the chihuahua. Stiles laughed, and they kept on talking until Malia called Stiles back. Before going, though, Derek dried his hands and asked for his phone.

“Here, what do you need?” Derek didn't answer, instead typing something quickly on it. When he was done he handed it back, and Stiles could see a new contact in his list, named 'Derek Hale'. He felt himself blush, but Derek just shrugged and smiled at him.

“In case you change your mind about the kitten” he explained. Stiles preened, and after a quick wave he rushed out after his friends. He got Derek's number, finally!

 

 

It took him only three days to break down and give in.

 

**To: Der-Bear**

**I will come to take her tomorrow. BUT you will have to tell me everything I need to do to take care of her, or I'll kick you in the shin.**

 

Stiles didn't expect an answer, since it was nearly 2 am in the morning, but he got one back. Right after the first one, a second message followed through.

 

**From: Der-Bear**

**Woah there, bossy.**

**Don't worry, grumpy-Stiles, nobody's got your panties in twist. You're in safe hand.**

 

**To: Der-Bear**

**Haha, very funny.**

**If you don't remember, it was you who was emanating serial killer's vibe all over the place.**

 

Stiles jumped on the bed, phone still in hand. Apparently Derek has a strong sense of humor. How didn't he notice that before? As in an afterthought, he decided to play with him.

 

**To: Der-Bear**

**That's it, I'm changing your contact name in Broody McSourbutt.**

 

As predicted, Derek didn't make Stiles wait.

 

**From: Broody McSourbutt**

**Don't you dare.**

 

**To: Broody McSourbutt**

**Oops, too late.**

 

Stiles screened the chat and sent it to him. He was waiting for an answer when he fell asleep, missing completely Derek's threat to kill him in his sleep. Huh, creepy.

 

 

The following afternoon, Stiles tripped over while entering in the shop, just like the first time, too nervous to not stumble over his own feet.

He found Derek focused on the book he was reading, one hand on the pages and the other out of sight. Next to him there was a bag probably full with everything Stiles would need to take care of the kitten. “Broody McSourbutt!” he called, grinning from ear to ear and ignoring Derek's glare when he heard the nickname. “Are you always reading?”

Derek raised an eyebrow, amused smirk tagging at his lips. “Yes, why? What do you want me to do?”

Stiles mused. “Right now? I'd rather have you do me.” he confessed, since he came there for business. When Derek blushed and eyed him up and down skeptically, he realized what he just said. “I-I mean... Uhm... Where's my little girl?”

With a motion of his head, Derek pointed at his own lap, and stretching out against the counter, he could see the out of sight hand keeping the kitten entertained, fingers rubbing his belly and moving around so the little girl to chase them and chew them. Stiles almost melted at the sight, especially when he saw the soft sweet smile Derek sent the kitten.

“You ready to take her home?” the man asked. Stiles nodded.

“Yeah, I think so.” Derek got up, still petting the kitten with one hand while closing the book. He walked around the counter in front of Stiles, holding out the bad for him to take and then giving him the kitten. “I'm gonna name her Cat.” Stiles decided, checking out of the corner of his eyes Derek's reaction.

“Don't you dare!” Derek vehemently replied. “Don't do Scott's same mistake, Stiles, be better than this.”

Stiles let the kitten climb on his shirt to his shoulder, laughing outloud because of Derek's words. “Don't worry, I was kidding!” Derek glared, crossing his arms. “You're such a Sourwolf. You look like the human version of the Grumpy Cat, you know that?”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Don't you have anywhere else to be?” he joked, eyes crinckling again at the edge. “I'm not kicking you out, but...”

“You're totally kicking me out, asshole” Stiles played along. “But yeah, I have to go. Scott waiting for me outside, got a busy afternoon so I can have a free evening.” he shrugged slighty, looking for the kitten not to fall from his shoulder. She meowled against his ear, making him shiver because of the high-pitched sound.

“By the way, I wouldn't mind at all” Derek suddenly said, looking at him with this amused way of his.

Stiles frowned. “Wouldn't mind what?”

Derek smirked like a predator to his pray. “Doing you, of course.” immediately after processing the answer, Stiles' reaction was to flush hard all over the face and neck and stutter. “Breathe, Stiles” Derek laughed again.

“You mean it?” Stiles managed to demand in the end.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then prove it” the boy blurted out, taking back the kitten – which he decided he'd name later – and setting her in his arms. “How about tonight at my place? We could have dinner _and_ you'll be able to check on the little girl here, making sure I'm not a bad guy.”

“There's no way you'd be a bad guy, Stiles” Derek shook his head, still smirking. “But okay, I'll be there. Let's say... around 7.30?”

Stiles beamed. “Perfect.”

He made to walk to the door, kitten and bag and all, when he turned back at Derek. “How much do I owe you anyway? For the bag and all” he asked, serious again. Derek waved him off.

“Don't worry, that's on the house.”

Stiles blinked. He probably just gifted him a hundred buck at least. “You're insane” he mumbled, before shorting again the distance between them until he could press his lips against Derek in a chaste but wonderful kiss.

Derek's lips were soft, red and perfect, the stubble tickling his skin just on the right side of pleasant. When he parted, he gave Derek a lazy satisfied smile. “See you later, big guy.”

Derek was still dumbfounded. “Bye, Stiles.” he managed to grit out.

Stiles walked away not able to stop smiling.

 

 

When Stiles climbed back into his jeep, leaving the kitten and the bag in the backseats (the kitten was safe in her little... place? Home? Cage? Whatever, Scott beamed at him.

“Who was that guy inside?” he asked curiously, his puppy eyes shining with wonder.

“Oh, that was Derek. He owns the pet shop, he helped me out a couple of times.” Stiles explained, since he had already mentioned Derek to Scott. His best friend nodded, and waited till Stiles started driving before speaking again.

“Was he the one who helped you buy me a new fish? It's a cool fish too, that one, you know.”

Stiles nearly went crashing against a tree. “Scott! Don't do that ever again, okay? You fucker!” but he was laughing too, damn puppy eyes and dimples, he couldn't keep it to himself.

Maybe in the end Scott wasn't so dumb like he looked.

 


End file.
